The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Virtual bumper systems employ the use of several sensors mounted across a front and/or rear bumper of a vehicle. The sensors detect an object within a projected path of the vehicle. Both visual and audible warnings can be signaled to the driver to indicate a detected object. In addition, the brakes and the powertrain can be controlled to reduce the likelihood of a collision. More particularly, the brakes can be automatically applied and engine torque can be automatically reduced. Automatic braking and automatic torque reduction can be controlled independently. Typically the torque reduction is performed before the automatic braking to prevent the powertrain from interfering with the braking.
The application of the brakes may be intentionally controlled to be fairly abrupt. The abrupt automatic braking generally results in a driver's initial reaction to manually apply the brake pedal, thereby reinforcing the operation of the virtual bumper system. The throttle should be controlled to manage engine torque before, during, and after the application of the brakes. Ineffective control of the throttle can cause undesirable surges in engine torque.